Jenson Button deems McLaren & Williams’ 2025 progress “very impressive”

Jenson Button has picked McLaren and Williams as the two teams that he has been most impressed with during the 2025 season. The 2009 F1 world champion has claimed that it is commendable that the two British teams' progress has come without any regulation changes in the last couple of seasons.

The F1 season has now entered the summer break post the Hungarian Grand Prix, with McLaren having dominated the season so far. After 14 races, the team from Woking leads the constructors' championship, with both their drivers, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, locked in a title fight for the drivers' crown.

While reviewing the season at the halfway stage, former world champion Jenson Button also picked the defending constructors' champions out as one of the most impressive teams in 2025. But the Briton also added Williams, highlighting the Grove-based outfit's massive improvement over the year.

"For me, the two teams that have made a massive leap over the last couple of years are McLaren, obviously, to the front, and Williams from the back to the midfield," said Button. [via Formula1.com]

"To make that sort of leap when there are no regulation changes is very impressive," he added.

As previously mentioned, McLaren leads the 2025 constructors' championship after 14 races. Their closest rivals, Ferrari, are a massive 299 points behind in second place. Oscar Piastri leads the drivers' world championship, with Lando Norris breathing down his neck just nine points behind.

Williams, meanwhile, has secured the mantle of "best of the rest" this year, as they currently sit fifth in the constructors' standings. If they hold onto this, it would be a massive improvement from their ninth-place finish in 2024. Alex Albon has been the more impressive driver as he sits in P8 in the drivers' table, while Carlos Sainz has struggled to settle down at his new team.

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Jenson Button reflects on McLaren's teammate battle

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the Hungarian Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Jenson Button has claimed that it is great to see the approach that McLaren has deployed with regard to the championship battle between teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. The 45-year-old has praised the team for allowing the two championship protagonists to battle it out on the track.

Button shared that he was enjoying the 2025 season, mainly due to the title fight between Piastri and Norris.

"Often it’s tricky when there’s just one team fighting at the front for the championship, but I think the great thing about the McLarens is that they’re allowed to race, which is key, seeing them fight on track is great," said Button.

Piastri looked to be running away with the 2025 drivers' title at one point during the season, especially when the Aussie driver claimed three consecutive victories at Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Miami earlier this season. But Norris has clawed his way back into contention after an underwhelming start to the season, having won three out of the last four Grand Prixs.